Well tool jack



April 27, 1954 R. GRISELL WELL TOOL JACK Filed July 18, 1952 Fm. l2

INVENTOR RUSSELL L. GRJSELL.

BY v

ATTORNEY FIG. '17

Patented Apr. 27, I954 WELL TOOL JACK RussellL... Grisell, Pennville, Ind. Application July 18, 1952', Serial No.1299,579

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements. in devices-for facilitating the use of tools that are com-- prised in the accessory equipment of: well drilling machinery. In said machinery as rigged for percussion drilling the tool carrying member is known as the drill stem, and as rigged for rotary drilling, is known as the drill pipe. For brevity herein it is to be understood that the designation drill stem means a carrier member of either type.

At the bottom of the drill stem is the usual flared threaded socket in which is receivable the tapered threaded pin embodied with the shank (said shank has a squared portion to which i applicable a conventional tool wrench) of the well tool to be used, as a drill bit, jar, drill collar, box collar, or fishing tool.

Involved in drilling operations is the manual poising of the selected one of the accessory tools above referred to, and the screwing it to, and the unscrewing it from the said drill stem. Because of the probability of, and of the actual impinging at times of the heavy drill stem (which is the lowermost member of the tool string of the machine) against said accessory tool during the manipulating thereof, the aforesaid transactions are rendered extremely difilcult and time consuming. Often there is injury not only to the thread of the drill stem socket, but also-to the threads of the tool pin. Moreover there is ever present danger of personal injury to the operator due to lack of facilitie for supporting and for handling the tool.

To aiford facility to the operator whereby the above named disadvantages may be overcome, my invention is based upon broadly stated is, the providing of'a. device adapted to be secured at position below the drill stem and to receive and to support in upright position the well tool that is to be used, said device to be operable manually while the tool is so supported, to elevate it to position of engagement and to screw it to joined connection with the drill stem, and is also operable while the tool is so supported, to unscrew it from said drill stem and to lower it to position disengaged therefrom. My invention may be designated as a well tool jack.

The said general object, as well as' certain specific aims which are devoted to providing a jack that is economical of construction, of minimum bulk and weight, durable and dependable, and capable of being efiiciently used by an'individ'ual of ordinary skill, is accomplished by, and. my invention is contained. in, the new construction, combination and arrangement of parts described in the following specification, defined. inv

the idea of and its object 2 the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Thedifferent'parts of the invention as they appear in the drawings are identified by suitable characters of reference applied to them.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a: side .view of my new well tool jack.

Fig. 2 is a side view'of said jack in the direction of arrow 2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional top plan View taken on broken line 3-3 in the direction of arrow 3' in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4' is a. sectional top plan view taken on broken. line 4-4 in the direction of arrow 4 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged top plan view of the device.

Fig. 6 is a side view depicting the appearance of the jack installed; In this view a portion of the well casing is broken away and the upper portion of the jack is shown in section on the broken line 6 -3 in the direction of' arrow 6 in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a vertical central sectional view on the broken line 7- in the direction of arrow I in Fig. 6. 1

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view indicating the relative positions of the parts of the jack when a well tool, as for example, a drill bit is disposed thereon preparatory to its being elevated.

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view indicating the relative positions of the parts of the jack when the drill bit will have been elevated and screwed to the drill stem:

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view indicating the relative positions of theparts of the jack when same will have been returned to their initial positions as in Fig. 8'.

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of a modified form of bolster member suitable for use in connection with a bit of the star'type.

Fig. 12' is a vertical sectional view in the direction of arrow H2 in Fig; 11.

Fig. 13 is a top plan view of a modified form of V bolster member suitable for use in connection with a rotary bit of the fish-tail or pilot type.

Fig. 1.4 is a vertical. cross section on the line Ml6'in Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a top plan view of a modified form of bolster member suitable for use in connection with a tool such as a jar, d'rill' collar, drill rod, or fishing tool.

Fig. 16 is a verticalcentral sectional view on the broken line Iii-4'6 in the direction of arrow it in Fig. 15.

Fig. 17 is a perspective view indicative of a spanner wrench of type suitable for use in connection with the operating of the jack.

Metal body 2| as of cast iron, of diameter to be ttingly received within the confines, and which embodies a flange 22 adapted to rest upon the rim of the top portion of a conventional well casing C, is of cross section formation indicated in Fig. 4 and Fig. '1, the longitudinal recesses 24 contributing to convenience in the handling of said body. Extending through said body 2| is central threaded hole 25.

A table 21 embodies a downwardly directed central threaded shaft 28. The threads of said hole 25 and of the said shaft 28, per inch, are the same in number per inch, as the threads of the head pin of the conventional well tool. Centrally of the top surface of the said table is a vertical bore 30. At locations equidistant from the center of said table and adjacent to the periphery thereof, pairs of holes 33, spaced as indicated in Fig. 3 and in Fig. 5, are provided.

A member which I denote as a bolster, so called because it serves as a support as will be presently explained, consists of a plate 35 mounted upon the top surface of said table as by a central downwardly directed pintle 36 which is journaled in the bore of said table. Viscous grease applied to said pintle and to the bottom of said bolster affords suitable lubrication for said bolster and at the same time said grease holds the bolster against accidental displacement during the phases of the handling of the device in merchandising and transportation. The said bolster is provided with a diametral seat 38 which in the form shown, suitably forms a rest for a drill bit having diametral working edge of the conventional pattern indicated in Fig. 8.

A latch which interengages the said bolster and the table 21, and which normally holds the bolster against movement with relation to said table, consists of a leaf spring 4| having its inboard end pivotally anchored, as by a shouldered cap screw 42, to the said bolster. Secured to the said spring at its outboard portion is downwardly directed lug 43 which is passed through a hole 44 in said bolster and into one of the several holes 33 (see Fig. 5) which are provided in said table. The free portion of said spring 4i extends beyond the vertical plane of the edge of said table 21 the outboard end thereof being accessible to the hand of the operator for raising same and swinging it aside (see broken lines Fig. 5) the lug 43 thereby being clear of the hole 33 and rendering the bolster capable of being moved rotatively on the table.

My new well tool jack installed and in readiness for use appears as at Fig. 6 disposed at position at the rim of the usual well casing. It will be understood that the drill stem DS (see Fig. 8) which is a part of the well drilling. machinery not shown, is in suspension at a predetermined suitable distance above'the top of the casing preparatory to the manual transactions incident to attaching to said stem, the tool which, for example, is a drill bit DB having straight transverse working edge. The operator now disposes the drill bit (see Fig. 8) in upright position on the bolster with its working edge at rest in the seat 38 of said bolster.

Thence, applying hand or hands, or if desired a wrench 46 to the table (the studs of the wrench being applicable to a convenient pair of the holes 33) said table is turned anticlockwise (see arrow R in Fig. 5). With the resultant rotary and rising movement of the table and bolster there is similarly the rotary and rising movement of proximity with the drill bit, its threaded pin P being screwed into the socket of the drill stem. During the transactions just described, the threads will not have been subjected to undue pressure or stress, nor will there have been imposed thereon any portion of the weight of the drill stem. The said bit is then tightened to screwed home position as by the use of the usual tool, wrench (not shown) applied at the wrench square S of the said bit. In coupled status the said drill stem and the said drill but appear as in Fig. 9.

Procedure in detaching the bit from the drill stem is as follows: the table 21 of the jack is at the lowered status as in Fig. 10. The operator lowers the drill stem (by the well machinery not shown) and bit to a plane at which the distance between the working edge of the bit and the seat of the bolster is slightly greater than the length of the threaded pin P of said bit. Now upon turning the-table anticlockwise (arrow R) the bolster will have been raised to close the bit. The operator now opens the latch and adjusts said bolster rotatively to position wherein the seat 38 is substantially in alignment with the Working edge of the bit. The operator now further turns the table anticlockwise whereupon the bolster is raised to snug and supporting engagement with the bit. The operator now closes the latch thereby making the bolster fast to the table. Now with tool wrench applied to the wrench square S of the bit, the bit is loosened. Then the operator turns the table clockwise (arrow L). With the resultant rotary and lowering movement of the table and bolster, there is similarly the rotary and lowering movement of the drill bit, its pin being unscrewed from the socket of the drill stem, and the bit being lowered to the position indicated in Fig. 8 whence it is free to be removed from the jack. During the transactions just described, the screw threads will not have been subjected to undue stress nor pressure or strain, nor will there have been imposed thereon any portion of the weight of the drill stem. For handling a bit having working edge of criss cross or star type, a bolster of modified form as in Fig. 11 is provided, the seat portion 38 thereof having aligned cross recesses 39.

My invention lends itself also to activities in the field of rotary drilling wherein drill bits as of the pilot, fish tail, three-way, and cone type are employed. In such instance the bolster may be of design as depicted in Fig. 13, the seat portion d8 being of criss cross corrugated formation adapted to receive and hold the bit in supported status during the transaction of the turning of the table 21. For handling tools as jars, adapters, fishing tools and the like with box type joints, a bolster as indicated at Fig. 15 is used. In this bolster the seat portion consists of a frustoconical block 49 as of hard wood or the like and which is secured to said bolster as by bolts 50.

Whereas I have described my invention in detail, it will be understood that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or principle of my invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A well tool jack consisting of a body adapted to be fittingly reposed in the top portion of a well casing and having a flange adapted to be seated on the rim of said casing, said body having a vertical central threaded hole therethrough, a table embodying a downwardly directed threaded shaft operable in said threaded hole, a bolster rotatable on sai tab e and embodyin a s at forming a rest for a well tool, and a latch interengaging the bolster and said table.

2. In well drilling apparatus, in combination with the casing of the well, a body fittingly reposed in the top portion of said casing and having a vertical central threaded hole therethrough, a table embodying a downwardly directed threaded shaft operable in said threaded hole, and a bolster mounted on said table and having a seat for the reception and support of a well tool.

3. A well tool jack for facilitating the handling of a'tool having a threaded top portion, said jack consisting of a body adapted to be fittingly received in the confines of the top portion of a well casing, and embodying a flange adapted to be seated on the rim of the said casing, said body having a vertical threaded hole therethrough, the number of threads per inch being the same as the number of threads per inch of the top portion of the tool, a table embodying a downwardly directed threaded shaft operable in said threaded hole, a bolster journaled centrally on said table and provided with a seat forming a rest forthe reception and support of said tool V at its working end, and a latch interengaging the said bolster and the said table.

4. A well tool implement comprising a body adapted to be fittingly reposed in the top portion of and concentric with the casing of a well, said body having a vertical central threaded hole therethrough, a table embodying a downwardly directed threaded shaft operable in said threaded hole, and being provided with spaced pairs of holes, each equidistant from the center, and each adjacent to the periphery, of said table, a bolster journaled on and axially of said table and having a hole therethrough located at position to register with one of the several holes of said table, said bolster embodying a seat for the receiving and support of a well tool, and a handled latch device carried by said bolster, said device including a lug adapted to pass through the hole of said bolster and into one of the holes of said table, and the handle portion of the device to extend beyond the vertical plane of the edge of the table.

Smoot Dec. 1, 1953 

